Monday, 28 September 2015

Jennifer Babey

Name: Jennifer Babey

Name of Brand: Still working on that..

Location: Southampton

How did I get into sewing: My
mum was a keen quilter when I was young and I often followed her to fairs, fetes and quilting shows. I loved all the different fabrics that came in different colours and patterns. I admired the stitching and textures of
the handmade quilts that people were selling or showing off. I have always been a keen crafter, having tried printmaking, bookbinding and even blacksmithing, but my heart lies with fabric and textiles. During university I studied Graphic Arts but I followed my natural instinct and got back into sewing and developing this into the work I was producing. It was during this time whilst surrounded by Fashion and Textile students that I was soon interested in advancing my sewing skill set.

Inspirations/Muse: I see outfits people wear and am often inspired by colours, textiles and shape. As well as being inspired by the scope of images that can be found on Pinterest, I currently adore Jenny Packham, the women of Mad Men, circle skirts and almost anything with a bit of lace or sparkle!

What I love about sewing: There is nothing better than the sound of a sewing machine chugging away.. oh its like heaven... But I love sewing, as well as all other crafts, because of the uniqueness of creating a piece that is handmade with such care and attention. And I can't help but gloat every time someone asks 'Did you make that..?'

What I hate about sewing:Unpicking. It mocks you for every stitch you just did wrong. I am not a huge fan of hand stitching – like finishing on waistbands
and those finer details- so close to finishing by have to get through
those last few time-consuming stitches! I hate not having enough time to do the BILLION things I want to make or experiment with - my current 'to sew' list is endless!

Favourite Garment made/designed:

I mainly create garments for myself, and was super proud of this backless ready for a holiday in Italy in May 2015. It was based on a Burda pattern, which was Petite, so needed some adjusting for my 5ft9 and bit height! I made another version but with a circle skirt rather than gathered which I love just as much!

I also made this dress very quickly on a bit of a whim for a Murder Mystery Party I held for my 24th. I loved the Maxi skirt and was super excited to have something with a bit of sparkle - even if I am still finding sequins around the flat...